Motor play is crucial for the growing child. Pathways in the brain grow when children move and explore the world through their senses. Building a strong sensory motor foundation leads to competence in sports, the classroom and life!

The Motor Story helps parents and teachers understand how all that play can enhance emotional, social and cognitive growth as well as physical well being. Activities and the target benefits (besides fun!) are shared and updated in the blog.

In addition to great activities for the home and classroom, experts share ideas about health, sports and the wellbeing of children.

The Motor Story will also be teaming up with Sustainable CAPE to explore the benefits of GARDENING for children this spring and summer!

About Jill

Jill has been a practicing pediatric occupational therapist for over 30 years. She helps parents and educators understand the importance of sensory-motor development for the overall wellbeing of the child. After receiving her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylavania, Jill received a Masters in Counseling and Human Relations at Villanova University and a teaching fellowship at New York University. She is SIPT certified and has advanced training in Sensory Integration and Sensory Processing Disorders. Along with writing, blogging and “playing” with children, she gives workshops to parents and teachers, helping them see the huge impact motor skills have on overall health and happiness of the child, and that creating a great athlete is merely a positive side effect!

Along with her private practice and consulting, Jill is the mother of three children, including boy-girl twins and a grandmother. She is an avid organic gardener, cyclist and enjoys swimming.

Your Child’s Motor Development Story

Your Child’s Motor Development Story serves as a guide to families and teachers in understanding how sensory motor development impacts the health and wellbeing of every child. Beginning with birth and spanning the years leading to and including the first formal sports experiences, the book offers many suggested activities to enhance development in all critical areas. Case studies and beautiful photography give clear illustration of how to’s and why’s of developmental stages, key skills and how to best organize and play with the child.

The publisher, Future Horizon’s Sensory World, had the vision to see that sensory motor development is and needs to be a concern for more than just the “special needs” population. While the book will help families struggling with sensory processing and motor issues, the message to all parents is, “Healthy play for all children is key to every aspect of their development!”

Award winning photographer, Eileen Counihan, draws the reader into the joyous world of children with her spectacular photography.

The Motor Story is thrilled to be teaming up with Sustainable CAPE and the Truro Children’s Garden to share all the amazing benefits of gardening with kids. This addition to The Motor Story will provide week by week instructions on best practices for growing and how to do this successfully (and joyfully) with children. Besides the delicious produce grown, we will share how sensory motor ability flourishes through gardening!

Sustainable CAPE’s mission is to demonstrate the direct link between local food, sustainable health and wellness, and the importance of preserving the fragile land and water resources that directly enable our local harvest. The goal is to educate, empowering individuals to become agents of change – thereby creating a decidedly more delicious, healthy and sustainable world.

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themotorstory.org

Motor development plays a crucial role in the growth of every child. The Motor Story website lists activities for children to enjoy with explanations of how these tasks nurture development. Sensory Processing, Sensory Integration, building strength and motor skills, and related topics are explored. Building a strong sensory motor foundation leads to competence in sports, the classroom and life!